Dear Rory
by CoffeeObsessed007
Summary: Rory and Tristan --- they grew to share a love so passionate, so pure. . . A tale of friendship, love, heartbreak, anguish, and triumph. R/R!
1. Hello, Mary

_Dear Rory,_

_Please, do not tear this letter up before listening to everything I have to say. . ._

---

_Dear Rory,_

_I have a feeling you didn't read that last letter I sent. . ._

---

_Rory,_

_You have to understand, what happened last fall, it's not what you think. . ._

---

_Dearest Rory,_

_I'm not going to stop sending you these letters until you finally understand what really happened. . ._

---

_Rory,_

_Please. . . I'm begging you. . ._

* * * * *

Red-rimmed eyes. Steaming cups of coffee. Stacks and stacks of letters, some unopened, some ripped up, some crumpled into disfigured wads of paper. Saddness. Sorrowful acceptance. 

This was all she could remember for the past eight months of her life, and she had yet to figure out why. Where had everything gone wrong?

Everything had been _so_ perfect.

So perfect, in fact, that it scared her. Nothing was ever _that_ perfect. . .

That wonderful. . . 

She smiled in a sort of nostalgic way, remembering how they had been reunited all those years ago.

* * * * *

_Rory gritted her teeth as she slowly tried to weave her way through the insane amount of jumping bodies that had formed a rather intimidating mosh pit._

_The music was deafening in her ears and the beat of the base was parrallel with that of the pounding in her temples. She limply gripped her drink above her head as she attempted to make her way into the kitchen, but a party-goer who had been jumping around fell backwards into her, knocking the contents of beer down the front of her shirt._

_Jumping back in surprise as the cold beverage slowly seeped into the cotton, turning the light green into a dark emerald, she rolled her eyes and dropped the now empty cup on the ground. "Great," she muttered, admiring the massive circle of wetness that seemed to be growing with each second._

_Eyes squinting, clearly under the influence, the guy laughed. "Oh man, I'm sorry," he said, and his clumsy hands searched for something to help her dry off, but came up with nothing. He handed her a throw pillow that had been lying carelessly on the floor and smiled a toothy grin. "Well, you can use that to cover up the stain, just hold it in front of you." With a shrug, he bounded back into the swarm of bodies._

_Rolling her eyes, Rory tossed the pillow back onto the floor. "Thats a big help," she grumbled and once again attemped to make her way into the kitchen, this time successful. _

_She had no idea who's house she was in, and at that moment, she couldn't have cared less. Her roomate, with whom she was not too thrilled with at the moment, had dragged her to this 'gathering' as she had called it, and when she caught sight of the guy she had been hoping to see there, left her to fend for herself._

_Rory's eyes scanned the contents of the refridgerator in hopes of finding a bottle of club soda. _Just something to get the stain out_, she thought to herself, but slammed the door shut with force. She caught sight of a couple making out against the counter, and let out a groan of frusteration. "God, get a room."_

_Before she could make her way out of the kitchen, she heard the irritating sound of a voice she had thought she'd left in the past. "Mary?"_

_Freezing in mid step, Rory squeezed her eyes as tightly as she could, so that tiny stars appeared before her in the darkness. Her shoulders slummped forward, her posture clearly emitting signs of helplessness. _Could this night get any worse?__

_Slowly, she turned around and was face-to-face with none other than Tristan DuGray. His ever present smirk was just that, and she had to bite her tongue and clench her fists in order to keep calm. "Hello, Tristan," she almost spat, and the hatred she was feeling towards her roomate, and for this party was rushing out with each ragged breath she was taking._

_Tristan raised his eyebrows in something of amusement. "What, not happy to see me?"_

_"Oh, I'm thrilled." The sarcasm dripped from her voice. "Well, as joyful as this little reunion is, I need to get to the bathroom so that this stain doesn't set."_

_Rory made her way up the carpeted stairs to the second level of the house and was annoyed to find Tristan trailing in her wake, like an eager puppy that wanted to play fetch. Rory closed her eyes momentairily when she saw the length of the line for the bathroom. She didn't say anything, but only gritted her teeth so hard that it was painful. _

_"You know, I'd love to help you out of that shirt, it must be awfully uncomfortable." Tristan had leaned against the wall, staring directly into her eyes. There were little flecks of gold in them, he noticed._

_"You havn't changed at all, you know that?" Rory crossed her arms and faced away from him, but he didn't say anything. "Why don't you go find the girl you were attatched to in the kitchen? I'm sure she can entertain you."_

_"Jealous, Mary?" His infuriating smirk was still there and Rory felt like screaming. She was trapped in a bad nightmare, and judging by the fact that the line had seemed to grow twice its size in the past thirty seconds, it would be a while before she could wake up._

* * * * *

Rory laughed despite her feelings of depression as she absently stirred her black coffee with a spoon. Her apartment was silent and the only thing that could be heard was the incessant ticking of the clock.

Hershey, her chocolate brown cat, leapt into her lap and Rory patted the cat with affection. "You're the only good thing in my life right now, Hershey." Rory whispered, and silence fell once again. 

_Tick. . ._

_Tock. . ._

_Tick. . ._

_Tock. . ._

* * * * *

_Dear Rory,_

_Please, if you would just call me, or meet me somewhere, I could explain. . ._

_---_

_Mary,_

_I will never stop trying. . ._

_---_

_Rory,_

_I love you . . ._

* * * * *

_TO BE CONTINUED. . ._


	2. One Date?

Marriage. _Who would want to be married to the same person for the rest of their life, anyhow?_ Rory silently asked herself, scoffing. _Of course, if you meet that one particular person who seems to make your life better in every aspect, it could be a very fulfilling act. _

Sighing, Rory sipped her coffee; a sound that often echoed throughout the large, empty kitchen. _I'm so pathetic. Sitting at home on a Friday night, reminissing about the past. Go out, _she willed herself_, do something._

But she remained stationed in her cushioned floral chair, staring at the clock that seemed to be ticking backwards rather than forwards. 

_The bitter thoughts of a senile, twenty-eight year old._

If only her mother could see her now.

* * * * *

_Rory sat in the back of the library, mulling over a large book, reading a passage that was assigned from her class. Her eyes were strained from the dull light cast from a small lamp at the far end of the table and she could feel a stinging sensation at the back of them. Her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail and she was wearing her comfy Paul Frank pyjamas._

_It was raining. _Again.__

_She could hear the echoing of the pitter-patter off the roof and she had grown accustomed to hearing it, as she had buried herself in the library every free moment she could spare. She was sluggishly getting used to the feeling of wet socks and chilled skin. _

_The light flickered for a moment as someone passed by and sat themselves across from her; she ignored whoever it was and continued to read, wanting to get back to her dorm room sometime before midnight. She glanced at her watch, and the digital numbers stared back at her, as though mocking her as the seconds ticked by faster than she would have liked; **9:38** **PM**._

_"Not even a hello?" A deep voice asked her comically, and Rory's head snapped up in surprise, her highlighter paused over the page. _

_"I don't have time for a hello," she replied, distracted by that damn smirk that was slowly creeping over his lips. _

_"Not even for me?"_

_"Especially not for you," she replied snidely before returning to the words that seemed to have grown smaller since the last time she looked. _

_"I'm going to ignore that comment," he replied, taking the book from her grasp to recieve her undivided attention. _

_Glaring at him, she reached for it, but he held it just beyond her fingertips. "Tristan, give it back."_

_"Not until you agree to go out with me. Just once, and I promise, if you don't have a good time, I'll never bother you again." His eyes pleaded with her, and she hesitated. _

_"One date?"___

_"Just one, but I can't promise you that you won't fall in love with me."_

_Rory rolled her eyes. "What are you doing here, anyway?"_

_"Where, Yale? I go here." His smirk grew more dominant._

_"Well I knew that, I'm not incompetant. I meant in the library. Where people study, and actually open a book. I didn't think you knew what a library was."_

_"Ouch, Mary, your words hurt."_

_"Good." Was her reply as she grabbed desperately at the book he was clutching out of her grasp. Frusteration was evident on her fatigued face as she pleaded. "Please, Tristan, I'd like to get a decent nights sleep tonight. I have a killer test tomorrow and if I fail, it is now on your head."_

_Tristan wiggled the book in front of her. "You know the price."_

_"Fine!__ One date, that's it." This time when she reached for the book, he gave it willingly. _

_"You won't regret it Mary, I promise."_

_As he sauntered towards the exit, the call of '**My name is Rory**!' echoed through the empty library._

_* * * * *_

Dear Rory,

I will never stop writing to you. Please don't give up on me, if you would just let me explain. . . You don't know what happened, I didn't do anything wrong, and I would never do anything to hurt you intentionally. . .

* * * * *

TO BE CONTINUED...

Please review! I'LL LOVE YOU :)__


	3. You're Beginning to Grow on Me

Rory stood in the vegetable aisle of the supermarket, gazing intently at the tomatoes, thoroughly confused. She grabbed two, one in each hand, and gave each a firm squeeze. With a sigh, she shrugged and put both of the in the cart.

She had never been very good at distinguishing one from the other. . . that had always been where Tristan came in. He could slice and dice like no one would believe. He would always prepare a meal for her that was so delectable, she would come back for fourths. He always used to chuckle and marvel over her tiny frame, wondering how she managed to stay so thin, but eat enough to fill a small room.

Rory shook her head as if trying to shake away the memories that always seemed to flood back to her, but somehow, she couldn't seem to forget.

* * * * *

_Rory stood in the deserted hallway, debating whether to knock or run in the other direction. The gold number 17 stared back at her, and the door seemed to loom over her, as if mocking her somehow. Rory shifted uncomfortably as she finally made her choice. She raised her hand and just as she was about to knock, the door swung open, causing her to gasp._

_Tristan stood, leaning against the door frame, a toothy grin forming on his lips. "I've been watching you through the spy hole, wondering whether you would run or knock. I was kind of hoping for the latter."_

_Rory playfully punched his arm, her other hand still on her chest. "You scared the bijeezes out of me!" Trying to get her breathing back to normal, she looked awkwardly from Tristan's gaze to the inside of his apartment. Finally, she asked, "So, do you plan on keeping me out here all night?"_

_Tristan shook his head. "Sorry, Mary, I couldn't take my eyes off of you. You look ravishing, as usual."_

_Rory felt a blush creep up her face, and she tugged nervously at the sleeves of her shirt. "Thanks," she replied, stepping cautiously into the apartment as he held the door open for her. _

_The apartment was bigger than she expected, but mentally chided herself when she realized his father could easily afford the best living conditions possible. The main room consisted of two leather sofas, one a love seat, and a mahogany coffee table that sat propped in front of the larger of the two. A big screen television sat against the opposite wall, and a shelf above it occupied several DVD's. A large CD player sat on the desk that was in the corner of the room, and a stack of CD's stood beside it._

_She glanced down the hallway and noticed three doors, two she assumed to be bedrooms and the other she guessed to be a bathroom._

_"Nice place," she commented, sniffing the air that was filled with a remarkable aroma. "Something smells really good."_

_Tristan smirked. "That's because I'm cooking," he announced proudly. "I thought you might like a nice meal aside from the food you're probably eating from the campus."_

_Rory shrugged. "It's not that bad, really, but thank-you. I appreciate that. I never knew you could cook."_

_Tristan shrugged. "There's  a lot you don't know about me."_

_"I guess that's true," Rory agreed, and sat herself down on a reclining chair. She pulled the lever and let out a sigh of relaxation as she settled herself into it._

_"Rough day?"__ Tristan asked, laughing lightly when he heard her moan in distaste. He watched her close her eyes, and licked his lips yearningly as he took in every aspect of her. She looked great in a pair of black pants and white button down shirt. _She could make the simplest of outfits look amazing_, he noticed. Her silky brown hair was tied back in an elegant looking ponytail, and her makeup was natural, but somehow made her eyes the slightest bit more blue._

_"Uh, so, do you want a drink?" Tristan offered, clearing his throat as he tried to keep his mind on something other than jumping her right then and there._

_Rory's eyes flew open and she smiled slightly at him. "Water would be great, actually," she replied, and she put the chair down and followed him into the kitchen. She took a seat at the table in the spacious kitchen that connected off of the living room. Tristan set a tall glass in front of her and opened the oven to check on their dinner._

_"I hope you don't mind just sitting in tonight," Tristan said as he took the dish out of warmth of the oven. "I thought maybe we could just enjoy a good meal and sort of get to know one another again. I think we've both changed quite a bit. I can definitely say you have gotten hotter over the years."_

_Again, Rory felt her cheeks grow crimson and Tristan smirked in her direction. "Though you still don't know how to take a compliment."_

_Rory laughed and took a sip of her water. "I can _too_ take a compliment." She studied him for a moment before continuing. "It's just that I can never tell if you are being sincere."_

_Tristan shrugged. "You'll just have to trust me, then won't you?"_

_"I don't know if I can," she replied honestly, looking down at her empty plate. "I'm sorry."_

_"Hey, it's okay," he said, sliding into the unoccupied chair across from her. "I didn't expect you to see me and just forgive and forget everything I've done to you over the years. I'll admit, I woke up each day to the thought of what I could do or say to make you angry because you were so much fun to argue with. You made my days at Chilton interesting."_

_Rory felt a smirk of her own crawl up her lips. "Did I start to bore you after a while?" After receiving a confused glance from him, she refreshed his memory. "Duncan and Bowman?"_

_Tristan's smirk turned into an embarrassed smile as he nodded his head. "Right. I was sort of hoping you wouldn't remember that."_

_"Well considering your involvement with those two morons had you sent to Military school, I can see where you would think that would be an easy event to forget." Tristan chuckled and rose to where their meal sat on the counter. "Hungry?" He questioned with raised eyebrows._

_Rory's stomach rumbled in response and she laughed bashfully. "A little. What are we having?"_

_"Baked penne pasta with a wild mushroom ragout," he pronounced proudly, wagging his eyebrows as he served some onto her plate._

_Rory glanced at him skeptically. "Should I be prepared to run to the bathroom?"_

_Tristan pretended to be offended. "Hey, I slaved over a hot stove all day for this meal, you better not run to the bathroom."_

_Tentatively, Rory raised the fork to her mouth and allowed the food to sit on her tongue for a moment. "Mmmm," she moaned after a long second of silence, relishing the taste in her mouth and allowing an impressed smile to settle on her lips. "This is amazing! Where did you learn to cook like this?"_

_"My dad," Tristan admitted. "He was always handy to have around in the kitchen. That is, until he became too busy to cook for us and hired a maid to do it for him." Rory noticed a flicker of sadness in his eyes and decided not to press him for details. If he wanted to talk to her about that, he could do it when he felt comfortable._

_"Well, I may just need seconds, and possibly thirds." _

_Tristan rolled his eyes. "How do you do it, Mare?"_

_"Do what?"_

_"Make me like you a million times more every time I see you?"_

_"Well, whatever I'm doing must be infectious. . . I have to admit, DuGray, you're sort of growing on me."_

_* * * * *_

Dear Rory,

I love you, and only you. . . I can only imagine what thoughts are running through your head right now after what you saw, but I promise you that you have it all wrong. . . please, I'm beginning to sound like a broken record. . .

* * * * *__

_TO BE CONTINUED . . ._


End file.
